Wiggins and Evans go head-to-head as Tour get tough

Team Sky's Bradley Wiggins and yellow jersey rival Cadel Evans begin the week with a lung-busting time trial before the Tour heads into the Alps

Monday’s time trial will pit rivals Wiggins and Evans against each other (Lionel Bonaventure)

TOMORROW'S TIME trial from Arc-et-Senans to Besançon is the final stage before
the Tour de France reaches its first rest day. The 41.5-kilometre course
will pit Bradley Wiggins and Cadel Evans head-to-head, giving a clearer idea
of which rider is likely to prevail in the second half of the race. The
course is test of all-round strength, on sapping roads and some of the
overall favourites who endure rather than excel at the race against the
clock could find their ambitions curtailed.

The Tour then takes a break in Mâcon on Tuesday, although they won't stay off
their bikes entirely. All the teams will go out for a very gentle ride of 90
minutes to two hours just to keep loose. After that come the Alps.

Every rider responds differently to the rest day – some are refreshed after an
opportunity to rest their legs, while others dislike the interruption to